BELINDA'S MENU

Belinda Taylor's menu included the following dish:


LEMON PAVLOVA WITH KIWI FRUIT

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
8 oz / 225 g caster sugar
1.5 teaspoons white vinegar
1.5 teaspoons cornflour

Filling:
¾ of a can of condensed milk
½ pint double cream
Juice of 3 large lemons
3 large, just under-ripe kiwi fruit

Method
Lay a sheet of silicon or baking parchment on a baking tray. Heat over to 325F, 160C or gas mark 3. Whisk the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until they are stiff. Whisk in the sugar a spoonful at a time. Blend the vinegar with the cornflour and whisk it, with the last spoon of sugar, into the egg whites.

Spread the meringue out to roughly an 8” circle on the baking tray and build up the sides so that they are higher than the centre. Put the baking tray in the centre of the oven, turn the heat down to 300F, 150C or gas mark 2 and bake the meringue for 1 hour. Turn the oven off but leave the pavlova in the oven to become quite cold (otherwise it will split open as it cools).

Remove the pavlova from the baking tray and place on a serving dish. Place the condensed milk, cream and lemon juice in a basin and beat until blended and the mixture is thick and creamy, then pile into the centre of the pavlova. Place in the fridge and leave to stand for at least 1 hour before serving. Don’t leave overnight – this dessert is best made on the day you want to serve it.

Peel and slice the kiwi fruit and arrange attractively around the edge of the lemon pavlova just before serving.

Extracted from Fruit Fare by Mary Berry
Published by Sphere Books Ltd, 1983